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An 1814 Beer Flood that Killed Eight People

smithsonianmag.com

11–20 of 27 posts

Re: An 1814 Beer Flood that Killed Eight People

#11
post #6
post #4

That last paragraph is a bit of a bummer. After all the beer was mopped up, the company that owned the brewery did just fine. It "received a waiver from the British Parliament for excise taxes it had already paid on the thousands of barrels of beer it lost," writes History.com–meaning it didn't have to pay taxes on the equivalent amount of beer when it brewed in future. Jurors declared the beer flood an "unavoidable…

> Jurors declared the beer flood an "unavoidable act of God," writes Tingle. I'd really like to see the transcript of that trial. I'd like to know how the owners of the brewery and their lawyer spun things so as to escape all culpability. An accident is an accident, of course - I doubt they meant this to happen. But there must have been some laxity in inspection of the vats, or some kind of problem in the constructio…

Consumer rights were not quite so strong back then....

Re: An 1814 Beer Flood that Killed Eight People

#12
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Jurors declared the beer flood an "unavoidable act of God," writes Tingle. I'd really like to see the transcript of that trial. I'd like to know how the owners of the brewery and their lawyer spun things so as to escape all culpability. An accident is an accident, of course - I doubt they meant this to happen. But there must have been some laxity in inspection of the vats, or some kind of problem in the constructio…

Consumer rights were not quite so strong back then....

I'm curious if inspections were even a thing back then...

This predates the era of locking your employees in during their shift.

Re: An 1814 Beer Flood that Killed Eight People

#13

Also: The 1875 burning whiskey flood in Dublin. Supposedly, no one died of the flood or fire itself. However, multiple people died from drinking the whiskey, which was also full of horse manure at that point because the latter was used to contain the flood. https://comeheretome.com/2014/04/09/the-1875-liberties-whisk...

Tries really hard not to make shitfaced pun

I'll allow it.

Re: An 1814 Beer Flood that Killed Eight People

#14

Also: The 1875 burning whiskey flood in Dublin. Supposedly, no one died of the flood or fire itself. However, multiple people died from drinking the whiskey, which was also full of horse manure at that point because the latter was used to contain the flood. https://comeheretome.com/2014/04/09/the-1875-liberties-whisk...

Tries really hard not to make shitfaced pun

Why did i never heard of that? All those abstinence movements- yet none choose to make this a propaganda poster..

Re: An 1814 Beer Flood that Killed Eight People

#18
post #6
post #4

That last paragraph is a bit of a bummer. After all the beer was mopped up, the company that owned the brewery did just fine. It "received a waiver from the British Parliament for excise taxes it had already paid on the thousands of barrels of beer it lost," writes History.com–meaning it didn't have to pay taxes on the equivalent amount of beer when it brewed in future. Jurors declared the beer flood an "unavoidable…

> Jurors declared the beer flood an "unavoidable act of God," writes Tingle. I'd really like to see the transcript of that trial. I'd like to know how the owners of the brewery and their lawyer spun things so as to escape all culpability. An accident is an accident, of course - I doubt they meant this to happen. But there must have been some laxity in inspection of the vats, or some kind of problem in the constructio…

Its the doctors final statement, that the drowned one, had not only his stomache, but also his lungs full of the stolen beer- that revealed the drowned mother of four to be a horrible drunkard and morally lower creature. Thus it should be stated, that the family (which smells like drunkards too, your honor) can grant itself lucky to not recive a fine for the private vices on a public tsunami. I rest my case.

PS: The whisky must have tasted like the city, of burning wood, horse menure and burning sock.

Re: An 1814 Beer Flood that Killed Eight People

#20
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Jurors declared the beer flood an "unavoidable act of God," writes Tingle. I'd really like to see the transcript of that trial. I'd like to know how the owners of the brewery and their lawyer spun things so as to escape all culpability. An accident is an accident, of course - I doubt they meant this to happen. But there must have been some laxity in inspection of the vats, or some kind of problem in the constructio…

Consumer rights were not quite so strong back then....

Consumer rights, perhaps not but property rights may well have been stronger.
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